The Ranch Hand
by Laurie Whitlock
Summary: Bella's family owns a ranch. When she comes home after studying Literature in England she finds out that they have a new ranch hand.Who is this mystery man and will he make her believe in love again?AH.


**Truly Anonymous Twilight O/S PP Contest**  
><strong>Pen Name(s): Laurie Whitlock<strong>  
><strong>Twitter or Facebook: <strong>**/#!/LaurieWhitlock**  
><strong>Title: The Ranch Hand<strong>  
><strong>Picture Prompt Number: 8<strong>  
><strong>Pairing: JasperBella **  
><strong>Rating: M <strong>  
><strong>Word Count (minus AN and Header): 9,845**  
><strong>Summary (250 characters or less, including spaces and punctuation): Bella's family owns a ranch. When she comes home after studying Literature in England she finds out that they have a new ranch hand. Who is this mystery man and will he make her believe in love again? AH <strong>  
><strong>Warnings and Disclaimer: I only own the plot to this story, nothing else... if I did Jasper would have more then a few things to say here and there in all the movies. Beta by: Wolfchild <strong>

BPOV

I sat on the plane anxiously waiting for it to make the final descent into Corpus Christi International Airport. I was glad to finally be home. I really enjoyed my time in London, England, but I missed my mama and daddy, Renee, and Charlie Swan. We lived on a ranch, which I loved, but I'd always wanted to get a degree in literature so that I could teach. When I was in my third year at Texas A&M, I saw an ad for an exchange program offering a chance to study in London, England. I'd always wanted to go to England, so I took the ad home to my parents and after much consideration they agreed to let me go.

England was amazing. It was everything that I'd thought it would be. I had so much fun while I was there. I met some really great people, three in particular who became good friends: Alice Cullen, Rosalie Hale and Angela Weber. They were exchange students like me. I also met a guy who I thought might be "the one".

I was in the student lounge one day, balancing my books while trying to grab a snack from the vending machine. As I reached for my snack, the books fell from my arms and I cursed that none of my friends were there with me. When I reached down to pick up my books, I realized that my pen had rolled under the vending machine. I had to get down on my knees to reach it. I guess my foot was sticking out too far because I felt something hit it and then I heard an "ouff" followed by a thud. I turned to see what it was and I found Jacob Black, son of the prominent bank manager William Black, sprawled out on the floor behind me. I groaned and cursed my bad luck.

Jacob was known as sort of a snob because of who his father was. He was also known to be a player yet, when his eyes met mine, I was captivated. They were deep, deep brown, much deeper then my chocolate ones. I sat up and taking a deep breath, I asked him if he was alright. He told me that he was. I then asked him how I could make it up to him and he said that he would have to think about it. He finally responded by asking me to go out on a date with him. I was hesitant at first because of his reputation, but after much coaxing from Jacob and encouragement from Ali, Rose and Ang, I agreed.

The guy I thought Jacob was turned out to be someone that he wasn't. I guess that old adage is true, never judge a book by its cover. Jacob was very sweet and caring. He could be a little overbearing at times, but I didn't really mind. He was just watching out for my safety and I liked that. I mean, I was a walking danger magnate and a klutz. We dated for quite some time and the more we hung out together, the closer we became. Eventually, I was so head over heels for him, that when his behavior began to escalate from overbearing to controlling, I didn't recognize if for what it was. My friends tried to make me see what he was doing but I refused to believe them. I just kept telling them that Jacob was only watching out for me. They told me that I was going to get hurt really badly if I didn't end my relationship with him soon. I thought they were just jealous. They kept bugging me though. Eventually it got to a point where I couldn't take it anymore so I moved out of the apartment we shared and moved in with Jacob. That's when the shit hit the fan.

Jacob wouldn't let me out of the house on my own, I wasn't allowed to talk to anyone or see anyone without him present and anytime my parents phoned to talk to me, he would tell them that I wasn't able to come to the phone and that I would call them back. The only problem was, I never did call them back because he wouldn't let me. The only place I was able to go to without him was school and even that was a struggle. Jacob was studying pre-med in hopes of one day becoming a doctor. He wanted me to change my class schedule to match his and was quite upset when I refused. But even if I wanted to, the university wouldn't allow it. So he had no choice but to accept it. It didn't take him long. In fact, he not only accepted it, he also saw it as an opportunity. Of course I didn't realize it at the time. It wasn't until that one fateful day that I finally saw the truth.

I came home early from school that day. I wasn't feeling very well and I thought a steaming bowl of chicken soup and some much needed rest would help. I'd been running myself ragged what with exams coming up. I unlocked the door and as I stepped into the house I heard what sounded like moaning. I followed the sound to the bedroom that Jacob and I shared and opened the door. What I saw brought me back to reality. There, in the middle of the bed, was Jacob, fucking a trashy blond named Lauren Mallory. They were so into fucking each other that they didn't even hear my gasp of surprise. I was paralyzed, rooted to the floor, watching in horror as the person whom I thought was my true love - the one who would always look out for me and protect me, the one who I thought I was going to marry and have children with - fucking another woman. Fucking her in the bed that _**we**_ shared.

I don't know how long I stood there, but it seemed like forever before Lauren was screaming out her release with Jacob following moments later. When he rolled off her - his dick still in her - he finally saw me standing there. He tried to play it off, claiming that it was a one time thing, a mistake that would never happen again, but I didn't believe him and I told him so. Lauren didn't have the decency to get up and leave or even to cover herself. She laid there; naked as the day she was born, watching me pace around the room, screaming at Jacob as the tears were streaming down my face. It was like she was getting a kick out of seeing me this way.

I stumbled around the room collecting some of my belongings, all the while crying and asking Jacob how he could do something like this to me, the person he claimed to love. Once I had everything I needed, I gave one final glare to Lauren and Jacob, then walked out of the room. As I approached the stairs, I could hear Jacob trying to get away from Lauren. She protested, insisting that I wasn't worth Jacob's time and that I was nothing more then a cry baby and an attention seeking whore. I ran down the stairs not wanting to hear any more. As I reached the bottom I could hear Jacob running down the stairs behind me, calling my name. I ran across the hallway thanking the gods that I didn't trip and fall. My hand was on the doorknob when Jacob pleaded with me to wait. Against my better judgment, I turned to face the man that I once loved and was appalled to see him standing there, completely naked, chest heaving and dick hanging without a condom. A shudder ripped through me as I wondered how many other women he had had unprotected sex with before having sex with me.

I asked him what he wanted and he told me that he was sorry for what had happened. He insisted that it was a one time thing and that it meant nothing. I asked him if it meant nothing, why did he do it. He told me that he had had a rough day in his classes and that he went to the pub and had one to many drinks. He said that it was a combination of the vodka and the dirty thoughts Lauren was whispering in his ear that led to what I walked in on. I snorted at that, not believing what he was saying one bit. I told him that it was over, that he would never have me again and that he could go back to fucking Lauren and any other bimbo that he came across because I didn't care anymore what he did. He took a step towards me and I was frightened that he might hit me. I pressed myself closer to the door, bracing myself for what was to come and wishing that I hadn't stayed to listen to his bullshit.

He didn't hit me. Instead, he looked me in the eye for a minute or two and then slipped down onto one knee and proposed to me, telling me that he couldn't live without me, that he needed me in his life and that he loved me deeply. I was appalled at the sight and I saw red. I flew into a rage, yelling and screaming at Jacob for every little thing that I realized was wrong in our so- called relationship. Then I slapped him in the face and stormed out of the house, my last image of Jacob still on one knee looking defeated. I made my way back to Ali, Rose and Ang's place and told them everything that had happened. They were all pissed off at Jacob for what he had done to me. They were also mad at me for not listening to them and I apologized for that. I moved back in with them and finished off the year. Jacob tried to get me to talk to him a couple of times but I didn't give him the time of day. I made sure to get myself checked out and was glad to know that he hadn't given me any STDs.

I was pulled from my memories by the pilot announcing that we had arrived. I collected my carry-on luggage and made my way off the plane and through the terminal in search of my brother, Emmett. People were passing me, going in both directions and I tried to peer around them in hopes of finding Em, but it was hard, seeing as I wasn't that tall. As I got closer to the doors, the crowd thinned out and I was able to get a better look. I finally found Em leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed over his massive chest, his baby blue eyes searching through the crowd for me. I couldn't help but smile. Emmett was the best big brother a girl could ask for. He was funny but very protective of me and he never minded when I followed around behind him and his buddies when I was younger. I knew there were probably a dozen or so, if not more, women swooning at the sight of him. He was a handsome man with his baby blue eyes and dark brown, almost black, slightly curly hair and a smile that could melt butter. I also knew that his size had something to do with it. Em looked like a linebacker able to protect you from anything. If he hadn't chosen to stay and help run the ranch, he could have been playing professional football by now.

He finally noticed me making my way over to him and he smiled. He picked me up into one of his famous bear hugs and spun me around telling me how much he missed me. I started to giggle uncontrollably. I knew that no matter how old I got, or where we were, Em would always give me a bear hug if we were apart for any length of time. It was one of the many things I loved about him. Once he put me down and I was able to breathe, I told him that I missed him as well. He stepped back from me and looked me over. He told me that I looked good but that I needed some Texas food. My stomach decided to put its two cents worth and we both burst out laughing. Em said that we best be heading back because mama and Aunt Esme were cooking all my favorite foods. We went to get my luggage and after putting it on a trolley we headed out to the parking lot. I noticed daddy's blue pickup and asked Em where his Jeep was. He told me that he thought it would be easier to have the truck since the stuff I had shipped from England had arrived and we needed to stop and pick it up.

Once my luggage had been placed in the truck bed, I jumped into the passenger's side and waited for Em to return the trolley. Then we made our way to the post office. While we drove I told him about all the people I had met as well as the places and things that I had seen while in London. I made sure to leave out Jacob but I knew that I would eventually have to tell Em as well as mama, daddy and my other brother, Edward. After we got my things from the post office we began the drive to Swan Ranch. It was Em's turn to tell me all about what I had missed while I was away. It seemed that my niece, Renesmee, was following in my and her mother, Tanya's footsteps by competing in horse shows. From what Em said, she was better then all the other riders in her age group and that she may be move to an older group. I was so proud of Nessie and I couldn't wait to see her again. We were quiet for a while, but as we got closer to the ranch Em broke the silence.

"Oh I forgot to tell you Tinkerbell, we got a new ranch hand"

"Oh yeah Emmy bear? Any one I know?" I replied

"Well you don't know him but you do know his brother"

It was hard to think of which of our workers had siblings. Swan Ranch was the third largest ranch in Corpus Christi and we employed a lot of people.

"I'm drawing a blank here Em. Who has siblings and who doesn't"

"Well you know Peter Whitlock, our horse trainer?"

"Yeah"

"His brother"

"What's his name?"

"Jasper. He's been living in Mexico for the past couple of years but something happened recently so Peter brought Jasper up here to live with him and his wife Charlotte"

"So how did he end up working for us?"

"Well Peter came to talk to me one day about giving him a job. He told me that Jasper was good with the horses as well. I agreed to give him a try and if I liked his work I would tell daddy to put him on the payroll. That was a couple of months ago"

"What kind of trouble did he get into?"

"I don't know the whole story but it involved a girl. I'm sure if he wants to, he'll tell us and if not, well that's his business. I mean who doesn't have secrets buried deep within them"

I just nodded my head silently.

It wasn't long until we were passing under the iron archway baring the Swan Ranch name. I smiled because I knew I was finally home. We drove up the gravel driveway to the main house. There were many buildings on our land. In addition to the main house, horse paddock and the different pens for all the other animals, we also had small houses for our workers who had no families. Many times people came to us looking for work with hardly any money to their name and we gave them one of the houses. Peter and Charlotte were different. They had the money to live off the ranch but they enjoyed being close to us so they just stayed in the house that we had given them.

Em parked the truck in front of the main house and the second I got out, I heard a familiar voice screaming "Auntie Bella". I turned to see Nessie running out of the chicken coop, her bronze ringlets blowing out behind her. She looked a lot like Edward, but there was some Tanya in her as well. She was already beautiful at the age of seven and we knew that she would be even more so when she got older. She jumped into my arms and gave me a hug to rival that of Em's. I put her down and told her how beautiful she looked and that she would soon be as tall as her daddy.

Her scream alerted the rest of the family to my arrival. Mama and Aunt Esme came out of the main house still in their aprons which I noticed were covered in gravy, flour and what looked to be b.b.q. sauce. I hugged them both warmly. Aunt Esme said that I had lost too much weight while I was in London and that it was time to get some meat back on my bones. I just laughed in response. Aunt Esme was mama's sister and like a second mother to Edward, Em and I. She was married to Dr. Carlisle Cullen, a surgeon and the best ER doctor the hospital had. They lived in the second largest house on the ranch, not too far from the main house. When she wasn't busy decorating the houses on the ranch and he wasn't busy at the hospital, they were at home taking care of their foster children. They didn't have any children of their own. The one and only time Aunt Esme had gotten pregnant; she suffered a miscarriage and was not able to get pregnant again. But they both wanted children so they decided to become foster parents. There were many people who were better off because of the love and support that they received from Esme and Carlisle Cullen.

While we were standing out front of the house, Tanya, Edward's wife, came out of the foal barn to join us. I gave her a hug as well. She told me I looked beautiful and that the time away had done me good. Tanya was one of the many children Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle had taken in. She had run away from home and her abusive father. Esme found her at the back of a restaurant looking for some food. She hadn't eaten for days. Esme brought her home and raised her as her own. At first Tanya was frighten of men because of what she had gone through at home with her father. But, eventually, she got over it and that's when she began noticing Edward. The rest, as they say, is history.

Edward was the next person to greet me, briefly as it was. He came out of the cow barn, and after giving me a hug, told me that my cow was about to give birth at any moment and that he had to stay with her to make sure that everything went okay since this was her first time giving birth. I told him to go and do what he had to do and that I would see him later. I looked around for daddy and mama told me that he was at the sheriff's office. Running the ranch with Em and Edward wasn't his only job. He was also the town sheriff.

We went into the house and after Em and I had put all my stuff in my room, I went back downstairs to sit and talk with everyone. We were in the middle of a conversation about the upcoming harvest when Nessie spoke up.

"Auntie Bella, did you know that we have a new ranch hand named Mister Jasper?" she asked

"Do we now sweetie," I replied. "What's he like?"

"He's very nice and strong. He has honey color hair and..." She got up and came to sit on my lap so that she could whisper in my ear "I think he's cute" She then giggled.

"Well now I'll have to meet him, to see if your right" I winked at her

She just giggled some more and snuggled against me, with her head resting in the crook of my shoulder. I continued to tell everyone all about London. Soon it was time for dinner. I called Edward in from the barn and then went into the bathroom to get cleaned up. Em wasn't kidding when he said that mama and Aunt Esme had been busy making me all my favorites. The table was groaning under the weight of all the food. Edward came in a few minutes later and told me that my cow had given birth and that everything had gone well. He ran upstairs to take a quick shower and when he returned we all sat down at the table. Just as we were about to start eating daddy and Uncle Carlisle came home. We waited again for them to shower and change and then we were finally able to eat. The food was amazing. I didn't realize how hungry I was or how much I had missed my mama's and Aunt Esme's cooking. Once everyone had had enough to eat I got up to help with the dishes but mama and Aunt Esme pushed me out of the kitchen, telling me to just enjoy myself and my first night at home. I tried to argue but they wouldn't listen so I went out and sat with Nessie and she proceeded to tell me what she'd been up to while I was gone.

I noticed that the sun was starting to set so I told Nessie that I would be back and then I went out onto the porch, to the end that overlooked our land. Sunsets in Texas were so beautiful because of the vast amount of uninterrupted sky that could be found on a ranch. A sunset was beautiful no matter where you saw it, but it was different and more special on a ranch. I noticed something moving out of the corner of my eye and I turned to see a horse come into view with a male rider sitting astride it, his lasso spinning above his head. I looked to see what he was chasing and discovered that it was a lone calf. I couldn't see what he looked liked because of the way that the shadows were playing across his face. I was captivated by his power on the horse as he passed me and I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to run and get my horse and follow him so that I could find out who he was. Just as I was about to dive off the porch and head for the horse barn, Nessie came out to find me. She told me that daddy and Uncle Carlisle wanted to see me. I sighed and nodded then followed her into the house, pausing to take one final look at the man on the horse, wishing I had taken off sooner.

When I went to bed and was finally able to fall asleep my dreams were of the mysterious rider. I could never see his face, only the power and grace of the way he rode the horse. I tossed and turned all night and when I awoke, dawn was just breaking. I groaned at the time and jet lag that I was feeling and tried to fall back asleep but to no avail. After half an hour of lying there, I got up, stretched and looked at the clock on my bedside table. I realized I would be the only one up for another two hours so I decided to get dressed and go for a ride. Once I was dressed, I went out to the barn. It took some convincing to wake up Sokka, my horse, but when he realized that I was going to take him riding, he got all excited. I got him ready and then I led him out of his stall and over to the barn door. I walked him out, closing the door behind me, then climbed up into the saddle and we started out for the trail that ran out behind the barn. I was in no hurry so we just rode at a leisurely pace. I knew where I wanted to go so I turned Sokka in the direction of the stream that ran through the forest.

I reached the stream as the sun was starting to rise higher in the morning sky. I dismounted and looked for a rock flat enough for me to sit on. Once seated, I began to think. I knew I had to tell my family what had happened between Jacob and me in London, but I didn't know how. I was afraid of what daddy would say. I didn't want him to be disappointed in me. I was also afraid of what Uncle Carlisle would do. He was a former army doctor and had a lot of connections in the medical society. I'm sure he could make life pretty miserable for Jacob if he wanted to. I knew mama and Aunt Esme would be heartbroken knowing that I had suffered in silence. As for Em... well... I bet he would want to get on the next plane to London, find Jacob and beat the shit out of him. Edward would be right behind him. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear when someone else entered the clearing. It was only when I heard Sokka neigh and another horse neighing in return that I looked up and saw a man standing before me. I didn't recognize him, but he was very handsome. He was at least six feet tall and muscular but not to the extent that Em was. He had dark brown eyes and honey blond hair poking out from under his cowboy hat. He seemed as surprised to see me, as I was to see him. He stood there staring at me for a moment before his brain finally started to work and he spoke.

"My apologies ma'am, I didn't know that anyone else came out here" He said.

"Please don't call me ma'am" I replied. "That's more for my mama than me. You can call l me Bella"

"Alright Bella, I'm Jasper Whitlock"

"Ah so you're our new ranch hand"

"Yes ma'... I mean Bella"

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you. Won't you have a seat?" I scooted to the left, making room for him on the rock.

He smiled and I swear that my heart stopped beating for a moment. He walked over and sat down beside me. For the longest time he just sat there, staring out into the stream. It gave me an opportunity to check him out. I noticed that he had a few scars on his neck and arm and I wondered how he got them and if there were any more on other parts of his body. My heart ached for this man who I didn't even know and for whatever he had gone through. I wanted whoever had hurt him to pay for their sins. It scared me because I had never thought like that about any man before. I was still trying to figure out why my heart and brain were reacting like that, when I noticed him turn slightly towards me.

"My apologies again, Miss. Bella, but I like to come here in the early morning before work and greet my grandmama"

"Its fine Jasper, its me who should be apologizing to you, since I'm the one who is intruding." I replied with a smile.

"Its no intrusion to me Miss Bella" He returned the smile and I swear my heart stopped beating again. This was going to be a reoccurring problem with him around.

Jasper asked about me and I told him about my childhood, growing up on the farm and the contests I'd entered at the horse shows. I even told him about the time I'd spent in London, excluding Jacob though. I wasn't ready to tell anyone about that. I then asked him about himself but he told me that it would have to wait for another day because he had do get to work. I looked up into the sky and was startled to see where the sun was. I had no idea that we had been talking for that long. Jasper had just mounted his horse when I said

"Wait, tell me how you got your scars"

I could see a shot of pain flash through his eyes but it was gone as quickly as it came. He smirked at me and replied

"A story for another time Darlin'"

He then tipped his hat and rode off. It was then that I realized he was the rider I had seen the night before. Once he was out of sight, I mounted Sokka and thought back to how I nearly turned to goo when Jasper called me darling. I shook my head and decided to take Sokka for a run before heading back for breakfast and starting my chores.

Time passed quickly and before I knew it, I had been home for two months. I was in my room one day when my cell phone rang. I looked at the caller ID to see that it was Alice who was calling.

"Hey Ali"

_"Hey Bells"_

"What's up?"

_"Well Rose, Ang and I are on a road trip"_

"Oh yeah were y'all going?"

_"We're coming to see you" _

"Awesome, when will you get here?"

_"In a couple of days"_

"Wow that soon?"

_"What's wrong, you don't sound excited?"_

"Its nothing"

_"You haven't told your family about what happened have you?"_

"No Ali I haven't"

_"You'd better because if Rose finds out that you haven't she will" _

"Yeah I know"

_"You better do it today" _

"I will"

_"You better" _

"Chill Ali, I will"

_"Alright, I'll call you when we are closer so that you can give us directions to the ranch" _

"Ok I'll talk to you then"

_"Bye hun" _

"Bye Ali, say hi to the girls for me"

_"I'll be sure to" _

With that I hung up the phone "Well shit" I mumbled while plopping down onto my bed "what the hell am I going to do now?" I knew Ali was right. I had to tell my family before Rose did because they would be even more hurt to hear it from someone other then me. My next thought was how to tell them. I could tell them all separately, but that would mean having to repeat it over and over again. If I told them all at once mama, Tanya and Aunt Esme would be there to keep the men calm. That seemed like the best plan to me. I knew that I would have to tell them after lunch because Ali would be calling again later that night to see if I had. One thing I knew for sure was that I didn't want Nessie there when I told them. She was still so young and didn't need to know just yet, how evil men can be. But how could I protect her? I sat thinking and suddenly it hit me. I'd ask Jasper to watch her for an hour or two.

Jasper and I had been hanging out together quite a bit since our first meeting so I knew that Nessie liked him and that he liked her too. I was very attracted to him as well and loved spending time with him. I looked at the clock on my nightstand and knew that he would be in the barn. I ran out of my room and all the way to the barn, not wanting to miss him. I slowed down just short of the barn door not wanting to scare the horses. As soon as I entered, I saw Jasper with Sokka and I walked over to them.

"Hey Jasper" I greeted him with a smile.

"Well howdy Miss. Bella" He smiled in return.

"I was wondering if you would do something for me" I commented.

"Just name it Darlin'" He replied.

"After lunch can you take care of Nessie for an hour or two?"

"Of course. Is everythin' alright?"

"No, not really. I have to tell my family something that happened to me over in London and I don't want Nessie to overhear"

"Is it that bad?" He asked with genuine concern in his voice.

"No, just more hurtful to me"

"Will you tell me?" He inquired and I knew he wasn't being nosey. He was just being a concerned friend.

"Sure," I replied. "When you tell me _**your **_story" I added jokingly.

"Fair enough" He smirked

"So after lunch I'll send Nessie out to you and will come and get her once I've finished talking to the family"

"Sounds good to me"

I smiled and after giving Sokka a pat, I left the barn to prepare myself for telling my family the story.

When lunch time rolled around my family could tell that there was something wrong with me because I was so tense and barely eating or talking. When Nessie had finished her lunch I told her that Jasper was waiting to take her riding. She was excited and once she was excused she took off running for the barn. I followed her to the porch knowing full well that even though she was excited to go riding with Jasper, she could tell there was something wrong with me and if I didn't watch to see her go she would come back to find out what was wrong. Once I saw Nessie and Jasper leave, I took a deep breath and walked back to the dining room. No one had moved since I left. As soon as I was seated mama said

"Alright sweetheart what's wrong? Ever since you got back from London you have been acting differently. Did something happen between you and Jacob?"

Suddenly all eyes were on me. I took another deep breath and then told them everything that had happened between Jake and I. Mama, Tanya and Aunt Esme were crying and Em and Edward were threatening to go to London and kill Jake like I predicted they would. I could hear Uncle Carlisle saying that he knew a couple of old Army buddies in London that he could call and daddy was saying that one of his deputies had a buddy in London and he was sure that he could find a way to get Jacob arrested for something. The more the men talked, the more out of hand they were getting and I knew that I had to put a stop to all of this before they did something really stupid.

I whistled to get everyone's attention and once I had it, I told them all to stop. I didn't want anyone to get into trouble. They of course started to protest, but I held firm and finally they relented. I was hugged and scolded for not telling them sooner. I apologized and told them that I was going to find Jasper and Nessie. Mama just nodded and as I was walking out the door I could have sworn that I heard Edward say _"Jasper will be good for her and she for him, just as we thought"_ There were mumbled responses but I didn't hear what was said. As I was walking to the barn I kept repeating Edward's words in my head trying to make sense what they meant. When I got to the barn I saw that Sokka was already saddled and waiting for me and I said I silent thank you to Jasper. I mounted Sokka and then followed in the direction that I had seen Jasper and Nessie go not more then an hour ago. It didn't take me long to realize that I was heading in the direction of the stream and as I got closer I heard their voices. I slowed down so that I could hear what they were talking about

_"Uncle Jazz is Auntie Bella alright?" _I laughed silently at the way she called him uncle

_"Well sweetpea, she will be once she talks to your grandmama and granddaddy and the rest of the family." _He replied.

"_Do __**you**__ know what's wrong Uncle Jazz?" _

_"No sweetpea, she hasn't told me"_

_"She will in time," _Nessie stated. _"I'm sure she will"_

_"Oh and what makes you so sure?"_

_"Because I can tell that Auntie Bella loves you and you love her" _

I was shocked at her response and I think that Jasper was as well because he didn't say anything for a few minutes. When he finally did speak he asked how she could tell.

_"Because the way that you look at Auntie Bella is the same way that daddy looks at mama, Great Uncle Carlisle looks at Great Aunt Esme and granddaddy looks at grandmama" _She replied.

_"And how do they look at them?"_

_"As if they hung the stars in the sky" _

I had to admit, she was one smart cookie. I knew that I liked Jasper a lot but I wasn't sure if I loved him... yet, or even if I was ready to love again and I certainly didn't know if Jasper was in a relationship or not. We had never really gotten around to talking about significant others. Jasper took his time responding again, so Nessie gave him a little verbal push.

_"Do you like my Auntie Bella?" _She inquired.__

_"Yes" _He finally replied.

_"Could you see yourself with her?"_

_"Yes"_

_"Then what the heck are you waiting for?" _She asked with confusion in her voice __

_"Nessie, there are a lot of things that you still have to learn about in life and one of them is relationships. Two people just can't enter into a relationship because one of them wants to. They both have to want to and they both have to be willing to work together, nurturing the relationship so that it can develop and grow and eventually become love."_

_"Well you just said that you like Auntie Bella and I know for a fact that she likes you too, so I say its time for you to get together" _

_"We'll see Sweetpea. Maybe we're meant to be together and maybe we're not. Only time will tell." _

I heard her huff at Jasper's response and then I heard her giggles so I assumed that Jasper had started to tickle her. I figured that now was a perfect time to make my appearance. I trotted into the clearing to see Nessie squirming on the grass while Jasper tickled her, both of them laughing like crazy. Sokka neighed and Nessie looked up. When she saw me, she scrambled to her feet and ran over to me

"Auntie Bella are you ok?"

"I will be Sugar"

"I'm glad" She smiled up at me.

"You best get going," I stated. "Your mama is looking for you to get your chores done"

"Yes Auntie Bella"

With that she climbed up on her midnight black horse and left in the direction that I had just come. I looked over to Jasper and he gave me a nod asking me to join him. I nodded back and dismounted from Sokka then went over sat down next to Jasper. We sat there for a few minutes in silence until Jasper finally spoke up.

"Are you alright?" He inquired.

"Yeah, I'll be fine"

He just nodded his head and then began to speak.

"It happened three years ago," He stated. "I thought I was in love with her but it turns out she was just stringin' me along"

"Jasper," I started to say something, but he raised his hand to stop me.

"I'm goin' to tell you my story Bella and I'm goin' to tell it from the start so that you know it all."

I just nodded my head and moved closer, then held out my hand which he took and gave a slight squeeze.

"Peter and I were raised by our grandparents. Our parents were killed in a car crash when I was only 7 years old. My grandmama raised us to be good, Christian men, to help others and treat them with respect. When I was sixteen I started to rebel. I was out all night, hangin' with the wrong crowd and drinkin'. That's when I met _**her**_. I was in a honky tonk with my buddies when I saw her. She was wearin' a see-through, black dress and she was dancin' suggestively with all the men. She knew that I was watchin' her and she made sure to dance even more sexily when she knew that my eyes were on her. I kept drinkin' and then finally I got up the courage to dance with her. I made my way to the dance floor and took her from the guy that she was dancin' with. We began to dance and it was like magic. I got lost in her eyes and she totally captivated me. From that night on we were always together. When I was seventeen I moved in with her thinkin' that we were in love and that I was goin' to make her Mrs. Whitlock. She of course had other plans. It turns out that I was just a pawn in her game of control. I never knew what she did for a livin' while I was with her, but I found out recently that she was a drug trafficker..."

He paused for a moment to collect himself and I could see tears in his eyes. I gave his hand a squeeze so that he knew he wasn't alone. He squeezed my hand back and after taking a few deep breaths he continued his story.

"I followed her one night - I was 18 at the time - and ended up witnessin' one of her meetings with her drug pushers. When I found out what she was doin' I thought that I could talk to her and convince her to leave that life, that our love for each other was strong and that with my help she would succeed in getting out. I waited until her drug pushers were gone and then I walked out, not knowin' that she had some bodyguards in hidin'. I told her that I knew what she was doin' and that I wanted her to quit. She laughed in my face and told me that I was a stupid boy and there was no way in hell that she was goin' to quit. She was makin' to much money and she enjoyed what she was doin'. I was pissed at what she was sayin' and the fact that she had called me stupid. I saw red. I grabbed her and began shakin' her and was yellin' at her too. That's when her bodyguards came out of hidin' and attacked me. I tired to fight back and was doin' a good job till they pulled out the knives. That's where the scars came from. I pleaded for Maria to help me but she just stood there and laughed at my pleadin'. They left me for dead but somehow I was able to get myself to hospital. I haven't seen Maria since."

I could feel the tears falling down my face and my heart was breaking for this handsome man sitting beside me. I tired to keep quiet but I guess he heard me because he shifted and moved so that he could hug me. He ran his hand up and down my back comforting me, while whispering that everything was alright and that he was fine now. Once I was finally able to compose myself, I felt embarrassed and hurried to explain. I pulled back from the hug and looked at him through watery eyes and with a watery smile said

"Jasper I'm sorry for being emotional. I was just sadden by what happened to you and happy that you were able to get away from that bitch and that you are alive and here now"

"Darlin' don't be sorry for cryin'. No one cried for me like you did. Sure Char and grandmama cried but not the way that you just did and its good to know that someone cares for me outside of my family"

"I do care for you Jasper. And now that you've shared your story with me, I'm going to share mine with you"

"Are you sure Darlin'? I mean you just shared it with your family, I can wait to hear it"

"No Jasper I want to tell you now."

I then launched into my story. I told him everything that had happened, how I felt then and how I felt now, the things that Jacob did to try and win me back, everything. The words just kept spewing forth from my mouth like I had it bottled up for weeks. For some reason it felt more liberating telling Jasper then it did telling my family. Just as I had held Jasper's hand through out his story he did the same for me and it was comforting to have his callous hand in mine. When my story was finished I realized that I was crying and when I reached up to wipe my eyes, Jasper beat me to it. He was so gentle and caring towards me. I had never felt as safe with someone outside my family, then I did when I was around Jasper.

"Darlin' thank you for sharin' that with me. I know that it wasn't easy havin' to tell it twice in the same day. I just want to tell you that I will NEVER treat you the way that asshole did. He had no right to do that do to you"

I could hear the honesty and sincerity in his words and I knew that he wasn't lying to me. Before my brain could catch up with the rest of my body, I was leaning forward and placing my lips against his. It wasn't a romantic kiss, but rather a sweet sort of "thank you" kiss. He was caught off guard at first, but in no time his lips were moving with mine. They molded together perfectly. I pulled back from the kiss to see his reaction and was happy to see that he had a smile on his face which no doubt matched mine. I then told him that I overheard his conversation with Nessie and he told me that he had a feeling I was near.

We decided that it was time to head back before the family sent a search party out for us. So we got onto our horses and raced each other back. When Ali called that night I told her that I'd told my family. She told me that I sounded happier and wanted to know if something else happened besides telling my family. I told her that I thought I was finally moving on from Jacob. Her squeal was so loud that I had to hold the phone away from my ear. She told me that she was putting me on speaker and that she wanted to know all about him. I sighed and tried to get out of telling the girls but it was no good. I told them everything that I knew about Jasper except for his story because that was his to tell, not mine. Alice squealed many times throughout my description and told me that it sounded like I'd landed a really great guy. I had to agree because Jasper _**really**_ was a great guy. She told me that she couldn't wait to meet him and that they would see me soon.

Once the girls arrived and were settled, they immediately started to grill Jasper. They threw so many questions at him it was a wonder that he was able to keep up. When they finally stopped they pulled me off to the side and told me that he passed the test and that I should hook him as soon as possible because he and I could be the real thing. Once they went to their rooms to unpack I went in search of Jasper. I found him at the stream sitting on the grass, I sat down beside him and said

"I'm sorry for the interrogation Jazz"

"Its ok Bella, its nice to know that you have true friends who will protect you like that."

"So you're not mad or ready to go running for the hills?"

"No to both of your questions"

"Well that's good... I think"

"So do I pass their test?"

"Oh yeah. To put it in Rose's words I need to hook you right away before you get away"

"But you already have me, so I can't go anywhere"

"Huh?"

"Darlin' in case you haven't realized, you've had me since the first night that I saw you"

"Wait! What? When was that?"

"When I went ridin' by tryin' to catch that calf"

"I remember that night, but I didn't think you noticed me standing on the porch"

"Oh believe me Darlin', I noticed you and if I wasn't chasin' that calf I would have come to talk to you"

"If my daddy and Uncle Carlisle didn't want to talk to me, I would have got on my horse and rode after you Jazz"

"Really now?"

"Yes. You intrigued me from the first sight with the power that you exuded while riding your horse. I wanted to know who you were from sight on scene"

"Well then I'm sure glad that I found this here stream the first time I got here or it would have taken a long time to get to know ya"

"I'm glad you found this stream too"

Jasper leaned forward and placed his lips on mine. The kiss, like all the other kisses that we had shared, started out slow but grew with the passion that we felt for each other. Jasper wound his one hand in my hair and rested his other on my lower back. I had both of my arms around his neck and was playing with the little hairs at the nape. The more intense our kiss became, the closer he pulled me to him. It was like he was trying to fuse us together forever more. When he broke the kiss so we could breathe, his lips never left my body. He placed open-mouthed kisses along my jaw and down my neck to my pulse point, sucking on it, making me moan. I knew that I would have a hickey there later but I didn't care. I was proud to be marked by Jasper.

He kissed from the right side of my collarbone, across the top of my chest, to the left side of my collarbone. I was dripping wet I knew that things would be different with Jasper than Jacob because I had never gotten that wet with Jacob. I shook my head - which wasn't easy - not believing that, while I was being kissed by this cowboy god, I was actually thinking of my ex. Jasper began to ease me down on the grass and my hoochie was doing a happy dance knowing that she was finally going to get some. Jasper looked into my eyes silently asking if I wanted him to continue. I nodded and his smirk got bigger. He went back to kissing me while his fingers undid the buttons on my shirt quickly and with ease. Once my shirt was unbuttoned he ran his hands up my sides, just barely brushing my breasts, up to my shoulders and proceeded to try pushing my shirt off. I sat up to help him.

He ran his hands down my sides and his mouth followed suit, down to the top of my jeans. He kissed from the right side of my hip to the left he then went back to the middle and popped the button of my jeans. Then, ever so slowly, he pulled the zipper down. Together we worked my jeans down my legs and off. I lay there, in the grass, wearing only my cowboy boots, black bra and matching panties. Jasper was sitting back on his heels, raking his eyes over my body and I could feel the blush creeping up my cheeks.

"You're beautiful" He whispered.

"And you have too many clothes on" I replied.

He just chuckled and lay down on top of me again. As he went to work on my bra I went to work on his shirt. I was glad that my hands weren't shaking. I finished unbuttoning his shirt at the same time he succeeded in unhooking my bra. I sat up again so that he could take it off me and then I took off his shirt and while still sitting, I went to work on his jeans. I was surprised to see that he was going commando. I was also surprised by the size of him. He was a lot bigger then Jacob was. I was still the only one with clothing on but that was soon fixed. Then we just sat there for a moment staring at each other, completely exposed, with no barriers between us. I noticed that he had some more scars on his chest which only added fuel to the fire, turning me on even more.

I could see the lust building in his eyes and it wasn't long before he was attacking me with his lips while running his hands all over my body. I was doing the same to him. He pushed me down onto the grass then continued kissing me. He made his way down south, but stayed away from where I needed him the most. I rubbed my legs together trying to get the much needed friction, but Jasper wasn't having any of that because he placed his hands on my knees and pushed my legs apart. I groaned in frustration and he asked me if there was something wrong. I told him that I wanted him to make me cum, to do it now and not when he felt like it. He chuckled and said "as you wish" while lowering his head over my heat. I could feel his breath on my pussy and it sent a shiver up my spine. He stuck out his tongue and licked my lower lips from top to bottom. He then sucked on my clit and inserted a finger into me. He began to move his finger in and out, adding a second finger and increasing the speed. He was making me feel so good and I was moaning with appreciation. I could feel the coil in my stomach starting to tighten and I knew that it wouldn't be long till I was falling over the edge. Jasper added a third finger and was going as fast as he could while my toes hung over the edge of the cliff. I finally went flying off and started seeing stars when Jasper bit down on my clit. Once I was able to breathe properly again, Jasper kissed me and I moaned at the taste of me on his lips.

I reached in between us and grasped his rock hard cock. I ran my hand up and down it a couple of times and then placed it at my entrance. Jasper looked into my eyes and I nodded my head and he pressed into me. When he was all the way in he held still, letting me get used to his size. It only took a moment or two for my body to adjust to the intrusion and I wiggled my hips giving Jasper the go ahead. He pulled almost all the way out and then pushed in again. It was great to feel him fill me. We started out slow but it wasn't long till we were picking up speed and I was meeting him thrust for thrust. Both of us were moaning each others name and other explicates words. Jasper reached in between us and began to rub my clit in time with his thrusts. The coil was starting to get tight again and I guess that Jasper was close as well because his movements were getting more erratic. I grabbed his balls and gave them a tug at the same time that he pinched my clit and we both came, roaring each others names. Jasper collapsed on top of me and stayed there as we fought to regain our breathing. Once our breathing was back to normal, Jasper pulled out of me and I groaned at the lost of contact. We went over to the stream to clean up a bit and then searched for our clothes.

We knew that we had to head back because everyone was probably looking for us by now but I could tell that Jasper, like me, didn't want to leave our little bubble. He kissed me again before we started the walk back to the main house while holding hands. Before we got too close to the main house Jasper whispered in my ear that we would be doing that again but next time in a bed and he promised that I wouldn't have to wait too long. I shivered with anticipation and lust as he nibbled on my earlobe. He chuckled at my reaction and after placing a kiss on my cheek and a squeeze to my ass - which had me yelping - we continued to walk towards the main house.


End file.
